O Say Can You C The Answer?

On-air challenge: Every answer is a two-word phrase in which the first word starts with O. Drop the O, and you'll get a new word that ends the phrase.

Last week's challenge: Name something in nine letters that is commonly read on Sunday morning. If you have the right thing, you can rearrange all the letters to name a bygone car model that you still see on the road today. What are they?

Answer: Scripture; PT Cruiser

Winner: Pam Smith of Beaverton, Ore.

Next week's challenge from listener Sandy Weisz: Take a common English word. Write it in capital letters. Move the first letter to the end and rotate it 90 degrees. You'll get a new word that is pronounced exactly the same as the first word. What words are these?

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Thursdayat 3 p.m. Eastern.

MARTIN: Joining me now is WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master, Will Shortz. Good morning, Will.

WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Good morning, Rachel.

MARTIN: So, anything exciting going on in your world this week?

SHORTZ: Well, yes. Although maybe not as big as in your world. I understand you're in new offices in Washington.

MARTIN: We are. We've made a big move. New headquarters. So, yeah, still unpacking.

SHORTZ: Good, good, good. Well, my table tennis club is hosting the North America Cup next weekend, April 20-21. It's in Westchester County, just north of New York City. There's 24 elite players from the U.S., Canada and Bermuda, and this include the U.S. Olympians, Ariel Hsing, Lily Zhang, and Timothy Wang. And anyone can come and watch. There's more information at WestchesterTableTennis.com.

MARTIN: Those are some big table tennis names. Do you ever get to go head-to-head against these folks?

SHORTZ: Oh, well, I may have hit with them but they are so much better than me.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: OK. Well, Will, without further ado, what was last week's challenge?

SHORTZ: Yes. It was to name something in nine letters that commonly read on Sunday morning. And I said if you have the right thing, you can rearrange all the letters to name a bygone car model that you still see on the road today. What is it? Well, the thing you read on Sunday morning is scripture. And you rearrange the letters, you get PT Cruiser.

MARTIN: Ah, the PT Cruiser. OK. Well, we've received over 250 correct answers this week. Our randomly selected winner is Pam Smith of Beaverton, Oregon. She is on the line now. Pam, congratulations.

PAM SMITH: Thank you very much.

MARTIN: So, did this come pretty quickly? How did you figure this one out?

SMITH: Well, I was listening to WEEKEND EDITION as I was working out Sunday morning. And I always come home and take a shower before I go to church. And so I figured it was something to do with church, and it was scripture, because I'm often the liturgist at our church. And then a few days later I thought about it for about another 20 minutes and I deliver Meals on Wheels with a lady that drives a PT Cruiser.

MARTIN: Oh, no way.

SMITH: Yes. That's how I figured it out.

MARTIN: This puzzle was made for you. It was like you were just living out the puzzle, Pam.

SMITH: It kind of was, and I couldn't believe it.

MARTIN: Have you been playing it a long time?

SMITH: I've been playing the puzzler about five years.

MARTIN: Well, we are happy to have you here. Will, it is your turn. Take it away.

SHORTZ: All right, Pam and Rachel. Every answer today is a two-word phrase in which the first word starts with O. Drop the O and you'll get a new word that ends the phrase. For example, if I said: little part of a death notice. You would say obit bit.

SMITH: OK. I got it.

MARTIN: You got it? All right. Let's do it.

SHORTZ: Number one: a male resident of Muscat. Or a male resident of an Arab country on the Saudi peninsula.

SMITH: Oh, I know. Oman man.

SHORTZ: That's it. A statue of a lion made out of a butter substitute.

SMITH: Oleo Leo.

SHORTZ: That's it. Former...

SMITH: That's kind of funny.

SHORTZ: Well, they get worse.

MARTIN: Or better.

SHORTZ: A very wise Arkansas Indian.

SMITH: A very wise Arkansas...

SHORTZ: OK. Well, first of all, think of what a very...

SMITH: Oh, I know what it is. It's an Osage sage.

SHORTZ: Osage sage. You're good.

SMITH: Oh, I don't know about that.

MARTIN: Take the compliments where you can get them, Pam.

SMITH: OK. I will. I'm good.

SHORTZ: You're doing great. An area high in the atmosphere where the air is thin.

SMITH: Ozone zone.

SHORTZ: That's it. A pumpkin-colored stove.

SMITH: A pumpkin...oh, orange range.

SHORTZ: An orange range is it. Accommodate R and B singer Mary J.

SMITH: Oblige Blige.

SHORTZ: That's it. A grouchy Muppets' marks left by wounds.

SMITH: A grouchy Muppet?

SHORTZ: You know which...who's the Muppet who's a grouch?

MARTIN: Oscar.

SHORTZ: There you go.

SMITH: Oh, Oscar scar.

SHORTZ: Oscar scar is it. Here's your last one: a job to find what's been left out.

SMITH: A job to find...omit...

SHORTZ: Oh, that's the right word. Now, put it in noun form. Something that's been left out is an...

SMITH: Oh, an omission.

SHORTZ: Yes.

SMITH: An omission mission?

(LAUGHTER)

SHORTZ: Omission mission is it.

MARTIN: Pam, that was excellent.

SMITH: No, it was hard.

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: It was a valiant effort. You did great. That was a hard puzzle.

SMITH: It was a hard puzzle.

MARTIN: It was. And for playing that hard puzzle today, you'll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin and puzzle books and games. You can read all about it at npr.org/puzzle.

And, Pam, before we let you go, what is your public radio station?

SMITH: Oregon Public Broadcasting, 91.5. I'm a member and a volunteer.

MARTIN: OPB in Portland, Oregon. Pam Smith of Beaverton, Oregon, thanks so much for playing the puzzle, Pam.

SMITH: Thank you, Rachel. And it was wonderful speaking with both you and Will.

MARTIN: Great, thanks so much.

SHORTZ: Thank you, Pam.

MARTIN: OK, Will. What's the challenge for next week?

SHORTZ: Yes, it comes from listener Sandy Weisz of Chicago. Take a common English word. Write it in capital letters. Move the first letter to the end and rotate it 90 degrees. You'll get a new word that is pronounced exactly the same as the first word. What words are these?

So again, common English word, write it in capital letters. Move the first letter to the end, rotate it 90 degrees. You'll get a new word that is pronounced exactly the same as the first word. What words are these?

MARTIN: OK, you know what to do. When you have the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle and click on the Submit Your Answer link - just one entry per person, please. And our deadline for entries is Thursday, April 18th at 3 P.M. Eastern Time. Please include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time. And if you are the winner we'll give you a call, and you'll get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master, Will Shortz.